In these days of high medical expenses and increasing costs for medicines, it is important that medicines be provided in unit forms available for convenient handling at the hospital and ease of dispensing medicines in these unit containers. Thus, efforts have been made heretofore to provide apparatus which has been proposed for filling cups or other containers with measured quantities of medicines to provide for convenient, inexpensive dispensing and handling of the medicines.
The present invention relates to an improved, relatively inexpensive positive acting device for processing materials, such as medicines, in a sanitary manner, and for dispensing measured quantities thereof into receiving containers or cups to fill a desired quantity of these containers with unit doses of the medicines. The dispensing syringe of the invention is relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated, whereby it can be discarded after one use thereof in filling, for example, from between about 50 to 200 or 300 of the carrier containers.
One prior type of a mechanism for dispensing a liquid is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,665, and it has a one-way valve means at a lower end of the measuring container and a float body that aids in forming a seal with the piston for expulsion of the liquid being processed. The apparatus of the present invention is much more positive in action and less complex in design than such patent. Another prior dispenser for viscous liquids is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,149, wherein an axially movable plunger is carried in a cylinder and a fixed closure valve and dispensing means is provided at the lower end of the container. But this is a particular structure differing materially from the compact uncomplicated apparatus of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,665 also shows a typical apparatus with which the dispensing syringe of the invention can be used for being driven through a controlled cycle for efficiently measuring and dispensing a desired quantity of a liquid material.
The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve and dispensing unit, especially adapted for processing medicines and efficiently dispensing measured quantities thereof.
Other objects of the invention are to provide a one-way seal and valve means for use in a measuring and dispensing syringe or the like; and to secure a seal in a syringe by an edge bead on a resilient diaphragm seal.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide two substantially identical valve and diaphragm seal members used in spaced axial relationship in a dispensing syringe for providing a low cost, reliable dispensing apparatus.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.